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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28642008">Left Behind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmk418/pseuds/cmk418'>cmk418</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2009-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2009-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:43:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>373</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28642008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmk418/pseuds/cmk418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In their world, it always seemed that someone was leaving.  Life went on.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rupert Giles/Olivia, Rupert Giles/Xander Harris, Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Left Behind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He watched the taillights fade as the car made its way away from the flat.  That was it then.  The one constant that he could rely on, now gone.  If someone had told him three years ago that the brash young man would be the one he would turn to in his darkest moments, Giles would have wrote the idea off as ludicrous.</p><p>But here he was, puttering around the empty flat.  No job, no set routine, no unexpected visits from the Slayer and her friends, no Xander.  <i>Muddle through, old man.  The boy’s tour of the States won’t last forever.</i></p><p>
  <i>But what if…</i>
</p><p>
  <i>No, don’t think that.  He’s coming back.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Unless…</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Oh, what’s the use?  Xander shouldn’t be tied to a broken old man.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>This is just a funk.  That’s all it is.</i>
</p><p>The phone rang.</p><p>
  <i>You see, Rupert, the telemarketers haven’t forgotten about you.</i>
</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>Olivia’s silky feminine voice on the other end brought back memories.  “Hello, Ripper.”  All thoughts of Xander, the past year and battles fought and lost vanished.</p><p>Life went on.</p><p>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;</p><p>Xander felt the tug on his sleeve, pulling him away from the gate.</p><p>What the hell just happened?  Hadn’t he done everything – <i>everything</i> – in his power to ensure that Giles made it through the summer from hell intact?</p><p>And how was he repaid?  With an impersonal goodbye note left at the Magic Box.</p><p>Even though they were able to make it to the airport on time, he didn’t feel comfortable expressing his feelings with everyone there watching.</p><p>Everything was falling apart.  First Buffy and now Giles.  Willow wasn’t even herself anymore – too caught up in the magic and Tara.</p><p>As he felt her tug on his sleeve, he realized that Anya was the only one left for him to turn to.</p><p>Life went on.</p><p>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;</p><p>They watched the door close behind Buffy.  She was the last of their little band to leave, heading off to Italy.  She’d be back from time to time to visit, Xander was sure.</p><p>So much changed, so much lost, and now it was just the two of them here to lead the fight.</p><p>Xander reached for Giles’ hand, twining their fingers together.  Giles’ fingers tightened, squeezing gently in calm reassurance.</p><p>Life went on.</p>
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